The US Navy has selected BAE Systems for a $62 million contract to create a new maintenance and support depot for the E-2D Hawkeye IFF system, expanding sustainment capabilities for the fleet’s airborne early warning aircraft. The depot will be located at the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego, complementing existing repair and overhaul infrastructure.
The new service center will focus on the AN/APX-122A Identification Friend or Foe interrogator, offering full-spectrum support including system testing, fault isolation, diagnostics, and repair. BAE Systems stated that the depot will improve turnaround times and lower long-term sustainment costs while ensuring higher mission readiness rates for the E-2D fleet.
With more than eight decades of experience in IFF technology, BAE Systems remains a key supplier to the US Navy’s combat identification programs. In recent years, the company has expanded its IFF portfolio through multiple contracts, including the delivery of AN/UPX-50(C) systems in 2023 and a 2025 modernization effort to replace legacy transponders across a wide range of naval platforms.
The E-2D Hawkeye, built by Northrop Grumman, is a cornerstone of carrier strike group operations, providing early warning, battle management, and airspace control. Powered by twin Rolls-Royce turboprop engines and equipped with the AN/APY-9 radar, the aircraft can detect air and surface targets at ranges exceeding 550 kilometers, while its advanced IFF system enhances real-time identification and threat discrimination during complex naval operations.
